Help End Child Marriage

The Honorable (insert full name)
(Room #) (Name) House Office Building
United State House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Representative (insert LAST NAME),

I am deeply concerned about child marriage, an alarmingly common practice in parts of Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Experts estimate that there are 51 million child brides worldwide, and that if present trends continue, another 100 million girls will be forced to marry over the next decade.

Child marriage has grave physical and economic consequences. Child brides face higher rates of maternal mortality, domestic violence and infant mortality. Girls ages 10 to 14 are five times more likely to die from complications in pregnancy or childbirth than women ages 20 to 24. Child brides face higher rates of obstetric fistula, a debilitating condition caused by obstructed labor, and face a higher risk of contracting HIV because they often marry older men with more sexual experience. These girls are often forced to drop out of school and, as a result, are more likely to live in poverty.

Fighting child marriage must be a U.S. foreign policy priority. Reducing the practice will help combat maternal and infant mortality rates. It can also help girls stay in school; girls who stay in school are less likely to live in poverty and tend to have healthier, better-educated families.

As my elected representative, I hope you will take this issue as seriously as I do.

Please cosponsor H.R.3175. The bill authorizes $125 million over five years for USAID to begin integrating child marriage into existing development programs; it also requires the U.S. State Department to address the status of child marriage in countries with high child marriage rates in its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.

Thank you,

Your Name

Your Address

Go to www.senate.gov and type in your state to find your senator's name.

I am deeply concerned about child marriage, an alarmingly common practice in parts of Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Experts estimate that there are 51 million child brides worldwide and that if present trends continue, another 100 million girls will be forced to marry over the next decade.

Child marriage has grave physical and economic consequences. Child brides face higher rates of maternal mortality, domestic violence and infant mortality. Girls ages 10 to 14 are five times more likely to die from complications in pregnancy or childbirth than women ages 20 to 24. Child brides face higher rates of obstetric fistula, a debilitating condition caused by obstructed labor, and face a higher risk of contracting HIV because they often marry older men with more sexual experience. These girls are often forced to drop out of school and, as a result, are more likely to live in poverty.

Fighting child marriage must be a U.S. foreign policy priority. Reducing the practice will help combat maternal and infant mortality rates. It can also help girls stay in school; girls who stay in school are less likely to live in poverty and tend to have healthier, better-educated families.

As my elected representative, I hope you will take this issue as seriously as I do.

Please cosponsor S.1998. The bill authorizes $60 million over three years for USAID to begin integrating child marriage into existing development programs; it also requires the U.S. State Department to address the status of child marriage in countries with high child marriage rates in its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.

Thank you,

Your Name

Your Address

Go to www.senate.gov and type in your state to find your senator's name.

I am deeply concerned about child marriage, an alarmingly common practice in parts of Africa, South Asia and Latin America. Experts estimate that there are 51 million child brides worldwide and that if present trends continue, another 100 million girls will be forced to marry over the next decade.

Child marriage has grave physical and economic consequences. Child brides face higher rates of maternal mortality, domestic violence and infant mortality. Girls ages 10 to 14 are five times more likely to die from complications in pregnancy or childbirth than women ages 20 to 24. Child brides face higher rates of obstetric fistula, a debilitating condition caused by obstructed labor, and face a higher risk of contracting HIV because they often marry older men with more sexual experience. These girls are often forced to drop out of school and, as a result, are more likely to live in poverty.

Fighting child marriage must be a U.S. foreign policy priority. Reducing the practice will help combat maternal and infant mortality rates. It can also help girls stay in school; girls who stay in school are less likely to live in poverty and tend to have healthier, better-educated families.

As my elected representative, I hope you will take this issue as seriously as I do.

Please cosponsor S.1998. The bill authorizes $60 million over three years for USAID to begin integrating child marriage into existing development programs; it also requires the U.S. State Department to address the status of child marriage in countries with high child marriage rates in its annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.